1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an internet presentation system and more specifically to an interactive web-based utility which enables a user to prepare, revise and show computer-based presentation files over the internet. The system offers a number of advantages over the current way in which a computer presentation is developed, particularly when the presentation is prepared and given in different locations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, most users create their presentations on a computer using stand-alone application software. If a desktop computer is used to create a presentation and a different computer, such as a laptop, is then used in connection with a projector to give the presentation, the software for creating the presentation must be installed on both computers. Usually, both computers must have the same version of the software; otherwise, one computer may not be able to correctly read the other""s data file. The presentation file must therefore be transferred from the desktop to the laptop, which is typically done using a transferable storage device such as a Zip(trademark) drive or floppy disk, if the presentation file is small enough, or by using a local network. Even after loading the application software onto the laptop and transferring the files, there may be complications in getting the laptop to work with the projector.
Situations may also arise where a user is at, or in route to, a presentation site while a coworker back at the home office needs to make changes to the presentation. Transferring and coordinating changes to the presentation file may be difficult, depending on the circumstances. A File may get corrupted during transfer by e-mail, and may not be reliable. The problems are compiled if the presentation on the desktop computer uses data objects linked to a database not accessible by the notebook computer, so that even if the presentation file is transferred to the laptop computer, the laptop computer will not be able to reproduce the presentation since it does not have access to the database storing the linked data objects.
An attempt to overcome some of these limitations is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,190 wherein a presentation saving utility attempts to save many of a presentation""s attributes into re-installable, presentation packaged. For example, if the original presentation file has data objects linked to a database, the saving utility will replace the links with copies of the current data values. Additionally, a functional copy of the presentation application itself is added to the presentation package. When the presentation is transferred to another computer, such as a laptop computer, the presentation package is re-installed onto the laptop computer. However, since a functional presentation application is included, along with the presentation file, image objects and data objects, the re-installable, presentation package can be very large and may span multiple floppy disks. This not only makes it difficult to transfer, but also complicates management of the presentation since the entire presentation package would be unusable if any of the floppy disks is misplaced. Additionally, this approach does not address the issue of coordinated access to a presentation file by multiple users, such as when a person at a home office needs to edit a presentation that is to be presented by another individual at a different location. Additionally, this approach requires that that both machines be compatible with each other since both must support the same application software.
An object of the present invention is a presentation system and method that facilitates the presentation of a common presentation file by multiple users on multiple remote computing machines.
It is another object of the present invention to facilitate the transfer of an application from one machine to another.
It is a further object of the present invention to remove the need to have a common application software, with a common version release, on all machines that are to run the present file.
It is a further object of the present invention to facility the management of an application file edited by multiple users.
It is a further object of the present invention to facility last minute edits by a local user of a presentation file that is to be presented by a remote user.
The above objects are met by providing a convenient way in which presentations may be created, edited and given using a web-based utility. The present invention is embodied in a Java-based system in which a user can create a presentation file by accessing a server using a standard web browser. After connecting to a web site, the user navigates to the area designated for creating and editing presentations and logs into the system. Once in the system, the user has access to all of his/her presentations. New presentations may be created and existing ones edited or deleted. Changes are instantly updated.
The present system also includes an administration mode accessible only to select personnel. In administration mode, various system parameters can be set, such as the maximum number and size of presentation files for each user.
A presentation prepared in accordance with the present invention may be given by attaching any computer with a standard web browser to a projector. After logging into a web site, the user first selects a presentation to be shown. Clicking on a hyperlink automatically launches a player written in Java that displays the presentation file, i.e. slide show, in full screen mode.
The present system may also incorporate the player into the firmware of the projector. The firmware would run a small version of the Java Virtual Machine. Projectors could be designed with an LCD panel that lets the user log into the web site and select the presentation to be shown. Since such a system would be network-based, no intermediate computer would be required.
In another aspect of the invention, the web site further restricts access to specific types of projectors or to computers with specific periphery projectors.
The system includes version control which allows multiple users to make changes to the presentation but only one at a time. Before any user can make changes to an existing presentation file, that user must first xe2x80x9ccheck outxe2x80x9d the presentation, make changes, then xe2x80x9ccheck inxe2x80x9d the file. Changes are reflected immediately so that the database will contain the xe2x80x9cnewxe2x80x9d version of the presentation. In addition, the system will contain a log of all changes, when they were made, and who made them. Thus, a user will be able to revert to a previous version of the presentation if desired.
The system also permits image and audio components to be added to a presentation. Using the software residing on the web site, a user can record his/her voice and add narration to individual slides. This enables a user to prepare a presentation at one location and given at another location without actually traveling to the other location. The user may similarly add an image from the user""s computer, or instruct the web site, to access another web site where the user maintains a gallery of images, and retrieve a specific image.
The system further allows a user to print presentation slides directly from a web site.